NIST Administrative Manual, Subchapter 5.16
Transmittal Date - 6/21/01

Traceability

Sections

5.16.01 Introduction

5.16.02 Scope

5.16.03 Policy

5.16.04 Supplementary Information
 

5.16.01
INTRODUCTION
a.  The mission of NIST is to strengthen the U.S. economy and improve the quality of life by working with industry to develop and apply technology, measurements, and standards.  To help meet the needs of U.S. industry and the nation for measurements and standards, NIST provides calibrations, standard reference materials, standard reference data, test methods, proficiency evaluation materials, measurement quality assurance programs, and laboratory accreditation services that assist a customer in establishing traceability of results of  measurements or values of standards.

b.  Traceability requires the establishment of an unbroken chain of comparisons to stated references. NIST assures the traceability of results of measurements or values of standards that NIST itself provides, either directly or through an official NIST program or collaboration.  Other organizations are responsible for establishing the traceability of their own results or values to those of NIST or other stated references.  NIST has adopted this policy statement to document the NIST role with respect to traceability.
 

5.16.02
SCOPE
This subchapter is applicable to all NIST employees at Gaithersburg and Boulder.
 

5.16.03
POLICY
To support the conduct of its mission and to ensure that the use of its name, products, and services is consistent with its authority and responsibility, NIST:

a.  Adopts for its own use and recommends for use by others the definition of traceability provided in the most recent version of the International Vocabulary of Basic and General Terms in Metrology: Aproperty of the result of a measurement or the value of a standard whereby it can be related to stated references, usually national or international standards, through an unbroken chain of comparisons all having stated uncertainties.@  (ISO VIM, 2nd. Ed., 1993, definition 6.10)

b.  Establishes traceability of the results of its own measurements and values of its own standards and of results and values provided to customers in NIST calibration and measurement certificates, operating in accordance with the NIST System for Assuring Quality in the Results of Measurements Delivered to Customers in Calibration and Measurement Certificates.  See Subchapter 5.17 and access the following website:  http://www.nist.gov/nistsystem/.

c.  Asserts that providing support for a claim of traceability of the result of a measurement or value of a standard is the responsibility of the provider of that result or value, whether that provider is NIST or another organization; and that assessing the validity of such a claim is the responsibility of the user of that result or value.

d.  Communicates, especially where claims expressing or implying the contrary are made, that NIST does not define, specify, assure, or certify traceability of the results of measurement or values of standards except those that NIST itself provides either directly or through an official NIST program or collaboration.  See Subchapter 5.03, Use of the NIST Name in Advertising and the following website:  http://www.nist.gov/traceability/503.htm/.

e.  Collaborates on development of standard definitions, interpretations, and recommended practices with organizations that have authority and responsibility for variously defining, specifying, assuring, or certifying traceability.

f.  Develops and disseminates technical information on traceability and conducts coordinated outreach programs on issues of traceability and related requirements.

g.  Assigns responsibility for oversight of implementation of the NIST policy on traceability to the NIST Measurement Services Advisory Group.
 

5.16.04
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
For definitions of key terms in the statement of policy and other supplementary information, access the following website:  http://www.nist.gov/traceability/.


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